This invention relates to a printing apparatus having a memory management system and to a memory management method which randomly changes the layout of data and usage of a READ/WRITE memory (a memory which can be read and written) included in a printing apparatus. The printing apparatus is used as an output terminal for a computer and comprises, as a general structure, a printing mechanism for performing printing operations, control means for controlling the printing operations of the printing mechanism in accordance with a predetermined control program, and a READ/WRITE memory connected to the control means.
In accordance with different needs and uses of printing apparatus, many kinds of application programs for the printing apparatus have become requisite, and users of the printing apparatus may wish to have certain functions added and/or altered, such as the addition and/or alteration of recording media for user defined characters (which are arbitrarily defined by users) and/or graphic character, which lead to the expansion of the memory or mass storage system.
However, in conventional memory management methods for printing apparatus, there are cases in which general purpose applications installed in the printing apparatus do not meet the particular needs of users who require special purpose functions.
Conventionally, a printing apparatus requiring special applications is manufactured with custom-made applications in which special purpose functions and/or data are pre-installed in the memory of the printing apparatus.
However, the manufacture of printing apparatus with custom-made applications has resulted in an increase in manufacturing costs for the manufacturer and higher retail costs for the user.
A proposed solution to the foregoing problems has been to expand the memory or introduce many storage memories in the printing apparatus for the general purpose applications into which as much data or as many application programs as possible are stored.
However, since the expansion of memory or introduction of a mass storage memory results in an increase in production cost of the printing apparatus, users who do not need to use a printing apparatus with special program functions suffer from the foregoing disadvantage of high retail costs to an extent where the competitiveness of the printing apparatus may disappear.
In conventional memory control systems, a part of the memory area is dedicated for a specific application, such as, for example, for application programs, for character data, or for graphic data. As a result, the total size of the memory must be increased, even though only a function is added or altered. Additionally, usually most users who wish to have customized specifications are satisfied with only additional special functions. Therefore, the expansion of the memory or the introduction of a mass storage memory usually results in dead area practically left unused in the memory.